PODCAST: Harperman protest song interview

We’re in week five of the marathon 11-week 42nd Canadian federal election campaign and although summer may be drawing to a close, things are beginning to hot up a little politically.

Tony Turner, a government employee and folk singer has recently been suspended from his government job as a result of writing a song, so naturally the Internet being the Internet wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

Earlier this week we got the chance to talk to Chris White and Andrew Hall – they are part of the of the team behind the Harperman protest song that’s currently taking the internet by storm.

As of this morning (Saturday 5th September 2015) it’s been watched over 550,000 times on Youtube alone.
As the election campaign gathers momentum over the next few weeks that figure is sure to climb.

Here’s our interview with some of the people involved:

We must stress that at LifeinQuebec.com we are impartial and are a media platform for all to air their views (provided that they’re not homophobic, racist, sexist, or any other ‘ist’ that’s likely to get us sued).

That being said we do like a good song. The tune is extremely catchy and the lyrics have been well thought out.
You’ll be humming it from here on in.

Who controls our parliament? Harperman, HarpermanWho squashes all dissent? Harperman, HarpermanThe Duffy handout incident, no respect for the environment Harperman, it’s time for you to go

Who’s the king of secrecy? Harperman, HarpermanWho has slashed the CBC? Harperman, HarpermanNo money for PTSD, accuses good Judge BeverleyHarperman, it’s time for you to go

Chorus:We want you gone, gone, goneYou and your pawn, pawn, pawnsNo more con, con, consTime to move on, on, onGet out of town, town, townDon’t want you round, round, roundHarperman, it’s time for you to go

Who’s the rogue in prorogue? Harperman, HarpermanWhose party line must be toed? Harperman, HarpermanWon’t buy into climate change until it’s sold on the stock exchangeHarperman, it’s time for you to go

Chris White, event organizer, singer-songwriter, choir director.

Whose smarmy smile is a thin veneer? Harperman, HarpermanWho preaches the politics of fear? Harperman, HarpermanIgnores the plight of native folks, missing women, it’s no jokeHarperman, it’s time for you to go

Chorus

Who’s dropping payload in Iraq? Harperman, HarpermanWho passed the Unfair Elections Act? Harperman, HarpermanWho’s a two-bit controlling freak, makes us feel the future’s bleak?Harperman, it’s time for you to go

Who muzzles all the scientists? Harperman, HarpermanCalls troubled people “terrorists”? Harperman, HarpermanWho wants the courts to just say yes? Suppresses freedom of the press?Harperman, it’s time for you to go

Chorus

Who turns watchdogs into lapdogs? Harperman, HarpermanGives his friends the best fat cat jobs? Harperman, HarpermanBigger prisons, “tough on crime”, gerrymanders election linesHarperman, it’s time for you to go

Who’s pulling all the Tory strings? Harperman, Harperman Who stands to the right of the right wing? Harperman, HarpermanIgnores the cause of everything, but to ideology will clingHarperman, it’s time for you to go

About Author

Andrew Greenfield moved to Quebec in 2009. He is part of the team responsible for the publishing company behind LifeinQuebec.com and Life in Québec Magazine. He has been involved with online and print media since 2001. He is passionate about cricket, is a qualified coach, and his real ambition is to start a cricket team in Quebec City – something he freely admits is probably beyond him. Follow him on Twitter @GreenfieldAndy